by Juno Wells
The Cyborg and the Girl
Juno Wells
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 1
Aurora
Flashes of light, yells, loud bangs and screeches rent the night. A body fell past me as I cowered behind a tall muscular figure, his back feathery and black. Everything seemed to sway, and the lights were dim. Nothing made sense. He turned to me, though instead of his mouth he had a long black beak. It moved and words came out, but I didn’t understand them at all. He picked me up with one hand and sheltered me beneath a wing. How could he hold me, cradle me with one arm? I seemed to be very small, child sized. Then a huge burst of light made everything go blindingly white…and I sat bolt upright in bed, looking around wildly, my heart beating fast and hard against my ribs.
I was in my room, in the little collection of cottage domes. The walls were brown and woody and curved up at the sides; moss and brown lichen grew from between each slab. There was a heavily curtained window across from my bed, the same sight I had seen every day since I was six years old.
I sighed, slumping a little, and got up, stretching and rubbing my eyes. I’d been having weird dreams a lot lately, always with sounds and feelings of chaos. It seemed like a long-forgotten nightmare, like I’d had it before when I was very young but didn’t remember. Or maybe like a premonition of something that hadn’t yet come to pass. I shuddered at that and shook it off.
I splashed some water on my face from the stone basin beside my bed and threw aside the thick curtains, letting the light in. I sighed again and figured I may as well go outside and walk before the day got started.
I always enjoyed mornings best. That moment when the sun was peeking up over the horizon on Telmuun and made the grass and terraformed landscape glitter. My own little moon, away from everything, hidden from the world and secluded from other people. The only other beings here were the animals that had been brought here in the terraforming and my guardians that raised me and kept me company. If this was a heaven, it was a lonely one. If it was hell, it was very pretty.
I walked, barefooted, through the grassy gardens of the moon, letting the gusts of wind tousle my long hair as a little owl flew by my side. I’d been here since I was a child. I could still remember my parents, but barely. Shadowy figures in the memories of my past.
Lusan says they sent me here because they love me. I know she always tries to look on the practical yet bright side of things, but Aimsir Shona says my father was and still is afraid. Of what? She wouldn’t say, and after years of prodding her to tell me, I gave up asking. She always gave me the same dark warning look if ever I brought it up.
I lay down in the warm grass, resting my head next to a little babbling brook. My birthday was right around the corner, and my dear little guardians didn’t know I’d planned a little something for myself. My gift to me. I chuckled, excited for what adventure lay a few days away. If I hadn’t been here for so long, I may have felt guilty about what I was going to do.
A little owl flapped down by my side. He blinked at me and hooted softly.
“I’m going away soon,” I told my little friend. “And I’ll miss you, but I can’t stay cooped up here forever.”
“Aurora!” I heard my name being called beyond the little line of budding trees, Lusan’s shrill voice calling no doubt from the window of the kitchen dome.
“Coming!” I yelled back.
I stood up and walked at my own pace to the domes, a collection of rooms where we lived. The kitchen dome was the second largest, with green shutters on the windows. The door was open, and I could see some kind of commotion flying around inside.
When I entered, the kitchen was in a flurry. “What’s going on?” I ask.
“Those damned droids!” Lusan shouted, batting one off with a broomstick as it tried to marinate her head in sauce.
“They’ve been- OW- attacking -oo-since you-OWCH- left!” Karratha burst out, being assaulted by another little droid as she did her best to run away from it, all the while it pelted her with wooden bowls.
“You’re the tech expert!” Aimsir Shona shouted, huddled in a corner. She had jam on her blue-tinted face, and one of her very pointed ears was dripping in dough. “DO SOMETHING!!”
I rushed over to the control pad that operated all of them, which I’d stuck in the wall by the door to the hallway, and pressed a few buttons. Each droid fell to the floor, motionless.
Lusan and Karratha sat down, panting hard, while Aimsir Shona picked up each one and hauled them outside onto the grass, her normally neat hair wisping out from all sides. “These have got to be cleaned.”
“The whole place has got to be cleaned!” Karratha exclaimed, her dress dripping in flour and flecked with her green blood, as one of the bowls had struck her rather hard. “It’s a disaster!”
“You go and get the mop and a bucket, I’ll get a few rags. This shouldn’t take long,” Lusan said, issuing orders to each of us. “And from now on, none of us are to operate the droids without her!”
“Oh, Lusan, I’ll show you all how to direct them, it’s not hard,” I said, picking up an overturned chair. “Karratha, I’m very sorry about your head. Are you all right?”
She waved a mop at me. “I’ll be fine, I’ll be fine, don’t fuss. Go on, we’ve got a lot to do.” She sounded annoyed, and I couldn’t blame her, but I did feel like if they’d listened to me when I first explained the droid usage, they wouldn’t have gotten themselves into this.
I grabbed a rag and began clearing up the spilled flour and jam while the others swept, mopped, scrubbed and grumbled about my upbringing under their breaths, saying things like, “If you’d given her a horticulture tablet, we wouldn’t have to deal with all this added gadgets.” And, “I can’t be blamed for what the child likes and doesn’t like.” Or, “She’s just lonely.”
I pretended not to hear these, even though they stung quite a bit. Especially that last one.
I would’ve offered to use the droids to help clean up, but as that subject was a little tender, I left it alone. These ladies, kind and loving though they were, did not know jack about technology. And they took their annoyance with the subject out on me. I knew they meant well. But still.
Once the kitchen was in order, I went outside to tend to my creations. I didn’t have any other friends on this little moon—there wasn’t a soul here but us and some animals—so I had spent a lot of time learning. I read up on astronomy, physics, sciences and engineering. It all fascinated me. So naturally, lonely as I was, I made myself some friends.
They spoke sometimes, and soon I’d have their own internal AI systems up and running so maybe we could have an actual conversation. For now, I spoke to them, or I’d program them for a game of catch. It didn’t feel real, but it was better than nothing.
A little crow landed in front of me while I was wiping the BUDDi droid of all the marinara sauce. It cawed softly.
“I haven’t seen you in a while,” I said, smiling. “Did you bring me another little present from Daddy?”
My father, to make my hiding place more habitable and pleasant rather than a hunk of rock, had sent animals here from Earth, Jupiter, Zena, Hecta 8, Rastar, Vastran and many other places. This meant I had many things to play with. He would send me a new one every now and then, when guilt really got to him, and this sweet little guy, my cr
ow, never failed to let me know a newcomer was here. He was one of my favorites, though, and he always kept me company. He even spoke on occasion.
He cawed again, indicating yes, his little arms flapping. His beak gave an odd sudden twitch.
“Okay, well, I’ll go inspect it later. I’ve gotta make sure my guys are okay,” I said, my brow furrowed, wondering if he was okay.
He cawed again.
“Why can’t it wait? Is it in trouble?” I asked, wondering what kind of trouble a little animal could get into on a moon filled with docile animals and zero hunters. He crowed and flapped his wings.
“Okay, okay, I’ll be there soon,” I said impatiently.
I finished my cleaning, rebooted my droids and sent them to the shed, where they were stored.
“So where are we going?” I asked. The crow cawed and flapped away.
I followed the little black crow through the trees, flower bushes and clover, over a few little streams and wildflower patches. This must be the other side of the moon by now. I only came over here when I really wanted space from my guardians. The moon was not large, as far as moons went, but it was thankfully big enough to have time and space to myself when I wished.
And then I saw it.
A small grey ship, ovular with a few odd symbols on the back, had crashed right into a brook. I stared at it, mouth hanging open. Nothing like this had ever happened before. My heart pounded faster, and I took a step forward cautiously, wanting to see it a little closer.
With a bang, the door was pushed open and the crow flew away, cawing in alarm.
As a reminder, the only other people I’d ever seen in my life, besides pictures of my family, were the three guardians I’d left behind. Lusan, Karratha and Aimsir Shona, all little alien-elf-like women, and all very motherly and fussy.
So, when a fully grown man stepped out, I jumped and exclaimed and was rooted to the spot, unable to move.
He was tan, with muscles huge and rippling beneath a loose green shirt. His brown pants were fitted, and I could make out each muscle curve in his perfectly toned legs. His hair was reddish-brown and long, and it blew in the wind lightly, like the mane of a majestic horse. I was speechless, frozen and staring. Did all men look this…strong? One of his forearms glinted in the sunlight, like it was coated in silver…
He ran his fingers through his hair and I could see the silver part of his arm better, his muscles bulging as his arm raised up, and he looked back at his pod with annoyance and dusted off his pants. The silver arm seemed to have a couple blinking lights on it, like he had a thin machine attached to him…or…was he a machine?
Then he froze, like he sensed someone watching him. He looked around, turning slowly until his eyes met mine. There was something different about his left iris; it had a green glow to it. They were beautiful warm, chestnut brown eyes that grew wide as I stared into them.
His strong jaw and high cheekbones—I was melting. No way all men looked like this. No way this man was even here. Maybe I’d simply never woken up. Like I jumped in my dream to another, much brighter dream.
He gave a little bow, looking apprehensive yet seeming to get some of his composure back the more he stared. I returned the formal gesture. I’d studied manners and etiquette, though I’d never had much need for them.
“Who are you?” he asked eagerly, curiosity glinting in his eyes, the one with the green glow shimmering strangely. His voice was gorgeous, like smoke and honey.
I shook my head and backed away a little. Regardless of his visage, he was still a stranger. I had to remember that.
“I’m not going to hurt you. I’m sorry, my ship ran out of fuel, so I tried landing,” he shrugged, looking back at the wreck. “Didn’t go quite as planned.”
“That’s life,” I said, feeling silly ignoring him. Wasn’t he the helpless one at this point? It didn’t appear like he came here intentionally. “Things don’t always go to plan.”
“Exactly,” he said, smiling a radiant smile that made me weak at the knees.
“My name is Aurora,” I said, blushing as my heart rate quickened like the wings of a small bird.
“I’m August,” he said. We stared at each other for a moment. I could feel a rising tension in the air, though I didn’t quite understand what it meant.
“I’m sorry, but no one is supposed to be here,” I said apologetically.
“You’re here,” he pointed out with a little smile. His canine teeth were edged in silver also. It was…weirdly sexy and gave him a dangerous flavor I felt inclined to taste.
I blushed harder. “How observant of you. No one else is supposed to be here.”
“I am sorry, really, I’ll be out of your hair as soon as I can get this thing off the ground,” he said, his eyebrows raised apologetically. Then his expression changed. “Why isn’t anyone else supposed to be here?” He smiled and moved closer to me.
I took a step back, swallowing. My throat seemed to have gone very dry. I’d said too much. I shook my head, backing away a little.
“Why can’t you tell me?” he asked, the curious glint growing stronger, the glowing green iris focusing on me.
“I don’t know you,” I said, which was true. My guardians had warned me very thoroughly about men and how they weren’t to be trusted. Let alone anyone else. Not that they needed to…they never let me go anywhere or see anyone else. And at this thought, my defensiveness lowered.
“But you could get to know me, then you could tell me,” he said. “And then, when this thing is back up and running,” he gestured to his ship, “I’ll be out of your hair and you’ll never have to bother with me again.”
I couldn’t argue with that logic, though the finality of his “never again” was disheartening. I didn’t want to be taken advantage of or robbed or anything terrible, but he didn’t seem awful, and the prospect of speaking to a man excited me. “All right then.”
Chapter 2
August Wood
We sat down by a little brook near my ship, the water flowing gently over its smooth stones. This place had an odd perfection to everything in it. The spacing of the trees, the shape of the rocks, the vibrance of it all. It was like something from a dream that someone had flourished into being.
I dipped my hands beneath the cool surface of the water and washed the blood off my knuckles and forehead from where I’d hit them in the rocky landing. I’d been flying, and all of a sudden the thrusters powered down and refused to turn back on. I was stagnant in space, and my ship had floated closer and closer to this moon until its gravity pulled me in. I had managed to pull up just in time and crash into something less solid, barely saving my own neck let alone my ship. Ah, my morning brush with death.
However, given the state of this place and the girl now sitting next to me with those dazzlingly bright blue eyes staring inquisitively, it made me wonder whether I’d left my body back on board without a pulse and if this was heaven.
Aurora seemed to be the only one here. From what my radar told me, there were only three other humanoid forms on this moon, and each were quite far on the other side of it. This girl, definitely human, was breathtaking. Long golden hair, big blue eyes, lips rosier than a red sunset. I had almost forgotten my plan, and need to get off this little paradise.
She was barefooted and kept staring at me in a strange way, like I was some kind of interesting specimen.
“How long have you been here?” I asked. It was the only thing I could think of.
“All my life,” she said. “Well, almost all of my life.”
“Wow.” All her life…had she been alone, or nearly alone, all this time?
“What’s the green in your eye? Are you a robot?” she blurted out, and then blushed furiously.
I chuckled, “No, not a robot. I have some robot parts to me. Most of the people have them where I’m from.” I pointed to my metal forearm and showed her the screen and hologram projector on the inside of my arm. “I can check the diagnostics on my ship or anything else I
connect up with. Like a remote control almost. And this,” I pointed at the green ring in my eye, “this allows me to see holograms when I don’t want anyone else to, measure distances by looking at them and a few other handy tricks.”
She just stared at me, wide-eyed. “Wow! Where do you come from?”
I smiled, “I come from a planet that’s sort of far from here. It’s called Sevion. My father owns it, though he doesn’t govern it, and he brought me up there.”
“Huh. Interesting. What’s it like?” she said.
“Well, it’s colder, the trees are denser than here, and we had a long winter every year, with lots of snow and storms. The summers are nice, though. The oceans and rivers are very turbulent and fun,” I said, smiling, remembering. “Not to mention, we’re all a little different on Sevion.”
“How are the oceans fun? And what do you mean you’re all different?” she said, her hunger to know more clearly displayed in every part of her face. She inched closer, and my heart rate sped up. It was pounding so loudly I was nervous she’d hear it.
“Well, we take belts, you see, and when we press a button, a bubble forms around us of energy. So, we like to run and ride the waves and play on the water rapids. It’s a little dangerous, but very fun,” I said. “And as for us as a people, we could choose which accessories,” I held up my electrical arm, “we wanted. And also how much. Some people went nearly full-bodied cyborg, others picked different tools, etc. So no one is quite the same there.”
Her eyes were wide. “Oh wow…”
I laughed. “You’ve never been off this rock, have you?”
She shook her head. She had a certain sweetness to her, a sincerity to her being and character. It was refreshing. She wasn’t trying to work any angle. She was herself.